Post binder



Aug; 21, 1945. I s. G. JOHNSON 3 9 POST BINDER I Filed May 15, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR. 554172;? 6. Jifsavz,

Aug 21, 1945.; s. a. JOHNSON 2,3&3,062

POST BINDER Filed May 15, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 21, 1945UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ros'r nnvnaa Stanley G. Johnson, GrossePointe, Micln, assignor to The Burkhardt Company, Detroit, Micln, acorporation of Michigan Application May 15; 1944, Serial No. 535,618

Claims.

locking it against withdrawal from the other of such portions in any oneof. an infinite number of axially adjusted positions with respectthereto; the provision of a construction as above described in whichthe. locking means comprises a wedge, lock or cam member'pivoted withrespect to one of the post members and constantly urged by spring meanstowards a position in which it is in binding engagement with respect tothe other of the post members; the provision of a constructionas abovedescribed in which the lock member comprises a plate-like memberreceived within the inner of the telescoping post members and has apivotal connection with one side thereof, the opposite side of the innerpost member being cut away to permit the lock member to project throughand into a position in which it is capable. of bindingly engaging thebore of the other post member; the provision of a construction as abovedescribed in which means are provided for moving the lock member out ofbinding engagement with respect to the outer post member whereby to freethe post members for relative axial withdrawing movements with respectto each other; the provision of a construction of the above describedtype in which the releasing means comprises a member projecting throughthe lock memher and formed for engagement therewith on that side of thecenter thereof opposite its poir'it of pivotal connection with the innerpost member; and the provision of a construction as above described inwhich the releasing means for the lock mem-V ber is provided with ahooked end portion limiting its outward movement in th inner post andwith respect to the lock member and affording contact with the lockmember at the point of a 45 hook to facilitate the pivoting of the lockmember out of locking position and against the force The above beingamong the objects of the pres- 5 ent invention, the same consists incertain novel features of construction and combinations of parts to behereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, andthen claimed, having' the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a suitable embodiment ofthe present invention and in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several different views,

Fig. iis aperspective view of a loose-leaf binder portions indicatedgenerally at Ill and I2, respecenclosing a plurality of filler sheetsand shown with one cover thereof in open position;

Fig. 2 is a view of the binder shown in Fig. 1

with one cover thereof removed and with portions of the filler sheetsshown in partially separated relation with respect to the remainderthereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through theconstruction illustrated in Fig. lcentrally of the posts thereof and ason the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary, transverse sectional view taken onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3 but with the filler sheets removed; a

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-4! of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 64 ofFig. 5 to better illustrate the construction of the wedge or lookingmember; and f Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary, partially sectionedview illustrating the wedge or locking member and the construction ofand manner in which the releasing member cooperates therewith.

The present invention is applicable to both closed-back and open-backbinders and in fact to any binder, regardless of its construction, as

long as it is capable of employing telescoping posts either solely forthe purpose of clamping two relatively. movable parts together for thepurpose of clamping loose leaf filler sheets therebetweemor additionallyfor alignment of such flller sheets by virtue of reception of the postsin aligned holes in such filler sheets. It may be applied to all of 'theposts of a multiple post loose-leaf hinder or to any number of suchposts. However, because of the fact one such post will usually besuflicient to hold the separable parts of a loose-leaf binder together,it is usually desirable from the standpoint of economy in manufacture toemploy only one of such locking posts, the remaining posts thus being ofa non-locking type and, for this reason, this is the type ofconstruction shown in the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, while onepart of each of the telescoping posts may be carried by each of therelatively movable cover-carrying portions of such binder, theconstruction is equally applicable to those constructions in which atransfer bar is provided for mounting one-half of each telescoping postother than the locking post and this type of construction is shown inthe drawings as preferable from the standpoint of v ease in manipulationof the filler sheets. It will thus be appreciated that the particularbinder in which the present invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings is shown in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense.

7 Now referring to the drawings, it'will be noted that the loose-leafbinder there shown includes 'a pair of stiff and preferably rigidL-sectioned tively, arranged in face-to-face relationship with a leg ofeach in parallel and overlapped relation with respect to a leg of theother and forming a channel between the remaining legs and within whichthe filler sheets, indicated generally at l4, are adapted to bereceived. A preferably rigid cover member indicated generally at I6 ishingedly secured to the forward edge of the portion l along a hinge linesuch as II and an opposed cover member indicated generally at 26 ishingedly secured to the portion I2 along a hinge line such as 22 which,in the particular case shown, is in closely adjacent parallelrelationship with respect to the line of Junction between the two legsof the angle of the member l2.

While the particular construction of the members l0, I2, l6 and 20 isimmaterial as far as the present invention is concerned, theparticularcase shown by way of illustration and best brought out inFigs. 3, 4, and 5, indicates that the portions l0 and i2 comprisepreferably stiif and rigid cores Illa and l2a, respectively, preferablyformed of metal and extending over the whole contour of the respectivemembers I0 and i2 and each completely encased in a flexible coveringmaterial lOb and l2b, respectively, and which, for instance, maycomprise cloth or other suitable sheet fabric material, leather or thelike. Likewise, the cover portions 16 and 20 each comprises a stiff andpreferably rigid core portion ila and 20a, respectively, which areencased by a continuation of the coverings Nb and, lib, respectively,thecores I61: and 20a being slightly spaced from the cores Illa and Ho,respectively, along their opposed edges so that the coverings v Ilb andIN) extending between them serve to provide the hinge lines l8 and 22,respectively.

Although, as previously mentioned, the two separable parts of all of thetelescoping posts employed may be carried directly by the portions l0and I2, respectively, in the particular construction shown aconventional transfer bar 36 isemployed and to which the correspondingportions of the non-locking telescoping posts are secured, such aconstruction being preferable for the reason that it facilitates theintroduction and/or removal of individual sheets from the stack offiller sheets l4. Accordingly, in the construction shown, a pair ofinner posts 32, onearranged adjacent each end of the portion II, are,rigidly fixed at one end thereof to the forwardly projecting leg of thecore Illa approximately midway the width thereof and project upwardlytherefrom in parallelism with the remaining leg of the core loo. In turnthe transfer bar 33 has rigidly fixed thereto midway between its sideedges a pair of hollow posts 34 spaced from each other longitudinally ofthe transfer bar 33 in accordance with the spacing of the posts 32 andpro- ,iecting perpendicularly to the plane of thickness [of the transferbar 36. The posts'34 are of an internal diameter suchas to be relativelyclosely but slidably received upon the posts 32 and this is the positionwhich they assume in operation and as best brought out in Fig. 3'. Itwill be appreciated that the filler.sheets M are provided with openingstherein spaced in accordance with the spacing of the posts 32 and 34 andin which the posts 34 are received for the purpose of maintaining thevarious filler sheets in alignment with each other. Where the combinedthickness of all of the filler sheets I4 is less than the effectivelength of a post 34, then ordinarily the free ends of the posts 34 willabut the portion ll, whereas if the combined thickness of the fillersheets i4 is greater than the length of the posts 34 then the hollowpost 34 will necessarily terminate short of the member it when inassembled relation with respect thereto.

In order to hold the portions l6 and I2 together and to cause thetransfer plate 30 to be pressed downwardly upon or against thecorresponding margin of the stack of filler sheets l4 the followingmechanism is provided. Midway between the posts 32 and 34 and preferablyarranged with its axis in a plane including the axes of the posts 32'and 34 a hollow post 40, best brought out in Figs. 4 and 5, is rigidlyfixed to the portion l0. While .in the broader aspects of the inventionany suitable means or method may be employed for securing the post 40 tothe portion In, in the particular construction shown the lower end ofthe post 43 is provided with a radially outwardly projecting peripheralannular bead 42 which abuts against the inner face of the lateral flangeof the core Ilia of the portion ill, the corresponding end of the post43 projecting through an opening in the core Illa provided therefor andits outer end being flared outwardly as at 44 thus to clamp the core lUabetween the bead 42 and the flared end 44.

Another hollow post 46 is similarly fixed at one end to the core l2 a ofthe portion I2 in such a position that when the portions l0 and I2 arearranged in complementary and operative relationship with respect toeach other it is axially aligned with the post 40. The post 46 is ofsuch size as to be relatively closely but slidably received within thepost 40. In this connection it will be appreciated that although thevarious posts 32, 34, 40 and 46 may be of any suitable cross-sectionalconfiguration, for ease in production they are preferably cylindrical incross-sectional configuration and such section is shown in the drawingslIt will be appreciated, of course, that the tiller sheets 14 andtransfer bar 30 are perforated for reception of the posts 46 and 46.

The post 46, as best brought out in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, isinteriorly providedwith alocking member 50 adjacent its lower or outerend. This locking member in one direction, transversely as viewed inFigs. 5, 6, and '1, is slightly greater than the external diameter ofthe post 46. At one side in such direction it is provided with anoutwardly projecting lug 52 which is loosely confined against movementlongitudinally of the post 46 in an opening 53 provided in the wall ofthe post 46. The opposite edge is beveled as indicated at 54' so as toprovide it with a chisel-like point 56, the bevel 64 providing clearanceso as to permit binding engagement of the edge 36 with the inner surfaceof the outer post 40 as will hereinafter be better appreciated. The edge56 is rounded as indicated in Fig. 6 so as to provide for more or lessline contact between it and the inner wall of the outer post 40. Thepost 46 from the side thereof opposite the opening 42 is cut away as at58 so as to permit the edge 56 to project therethrough and be affordedamaterial amount of movement longitudinally of the post 46 therein.

It will, of course, be appreciated that as far as the present inventionis concerned it makes no diflerence whether, when the post 46 isassembled to the post 40 the lug 52 of the locking member 56 projectsthrough the opening 63 sufllciently to engage the inner wall of the post46,

or whether it isof such length as to preclude such engagement, thelatter construction being shown by way of illustration. In any event itwill be appreciated that the effective length of the locking member 56is such that when the 'member' 56 is pivoted to the limit of its pivotalposition in a counterclockwise direction of rotation as viewed in Figs.and 7 within the limits of the cut-away portion 56 the edge 56 will liewithin the axially extended peripheral surface of the member 46, underwhich condifrom the position illustrated in Fig; 5 will bring thepointed end 66 thereof into engagement with the inner walls of the post46, under which conditions any attempt to withdraw the post 46 from thepost 46 will cause the pointed edge 56 to bite into the inner walls ofthe post 46 and cause the member 56 to be wedged between the posts 46and 46 thereby to effectively prevent withdrawal of the post 46 from thepost 46 as long as such engagement exists.

The locking member 56 is constantly urged toward locking position bymeans of a coiled compression spring 66 received within the post 46 andmaintained under compression between the locking member 56 and the post46 at a point remote therefrom. While any suitable means may be providedto form an abutment for that end of the spring 66 opposite the lockingmember 56, in the construction shown the 'post 46 is provided with apair of diametrically opposite indentations 62 therein, as best broughtout in Fig. ,4, which formprojections on the interior of the post 46which provide abutments for the corresponding end of the spring 66. Thuswith the construction thus far described it will'be appreciated that thepost 46 may be freely inserted into the post 46 and during suchinsertion although the spring .66 is constantly urging the lockingmember 56 towards a locking position, because of the angularrelationship of the locking member 56 with respect to the axis of thepost 46 it will slide freely down into the post 46 without offering anymaterial resistance, but that any attempt to reverse the movement of thepost 46 in the post 46 will cause the pointed edge 56 of the lockingmember 56 to bite into the inner wall of the post 46 and prevent suchwithdrawing movement. The ,locking member 56 thus acts in the nature ofa ratchet permitting free movement between the posts 46 and 46 in onedirection only, and capable of locking the post 46 against withdrawalfrom the post 46 in any one of an infinite number of axially ad J'ustedpositions between them.

In order to release the locking member 56 from locking relation withrespect to the post 46 and thereby permit the post 46 to be withdrawnfrom the post 46 the following mechanism is provided.

As best brought out in Figs. 4 to '7, inclusive,

' a bar member 16, preferably formed from sheet metal, extendsdownwardly through the hollowof the locking member 56.

point of Junction with the bar 16 is formed with an angular face 16providing a hook-like portion having a point [6 which bears against theunder-face of the locking member 56 on the opposite side of the centerthereof from the lug 52 and at a point relatively close to the edge 56The angularity of the surface 16 is preferably'such as to limit thepointof contact between the head 14 and the locking member 56 to thepoint 18.

The bar member 16 projects axially beyond the post 46 at the anchoredend of the latter and is there provided with a ring 86 swiveled thereto,the ring 66 being a size greater than the bore of the post 46 so as tolimit downward movement of the bar I6 therein and large enough toprovide a finger hold for manipulating the bar 16.

It Will be appreciated that in assembly the bar member 16 is projectedfirst through the locking member 56, then through'the spring 66. untilthe upper end thereof asviewed in the figurespro jects outwardlybeyondthe fixed end of the post 46, upon which the ring 86 is inserted in thebar member 16 thereby to operatively locate the bar member 16 in place.The wedge or locking member 56 is of a minimum transverse dimensionslightly less than the width of the cut-out portion y when the posts 46and 46 are in assembled relationship with respect to each other thespring 66 urges the locking member 56 into locking relationship withrespect to the post 46 thereby to lock the posts '46 and 46 againstaxial separation. Under such conditions if the ring 66 is grasped andpulled outwardly away from the fixed end of the post 46 the point 18 ofthe head 14 of the bar member 16 in bearing against the locking member56 will cause the locking member 56 to pivot about the pivotalconnection of the lockin member 56 afiorded by the lug 52 received inthe opening 53 of the post 46, and will withdraw the edge 56 of thelocking member 56 out of engaging relationship with respect to the innerwall of the post 46.

Continued movement of the ring 66 outwardly away from the fixed end ofthe post 46 will bring the margin of the locking member 56 adjacent thepointed edge 56 thereof into contact with the upper wall of the cut-outportion 56 upon which the pull on the ring 56 will withdraw the post 46from the post 46 and, ofcourse, will carry the portion I! of the binderoutwardly therewith.

When the posts 46 and 46 are in their interengaging and operativerelation with respect to each other the bar member 16 is free to movedownwardly. in the post 46 until, the ring 66 engages the fixed end ofthe post 46. In practice under such conditions the ring 86 is pivotedover into substantially flat contacting relationship with respect to theouter face of the portion I2 which thereupon permits the cover 26' to befolded over into opposed and complementary relationship with respect tothe cover l6 so as to enclose the filler sheets l4 between them.

It will be appreciated from the above description that the presentinvention provides an extremely simple and emcient means by which thetwo parts or a telescoping post structure may be automatically lockedagainst withdrawal with respect to each other by simply inserting theinner post member within the outer post member, and

that the construction is such as to enable these two members to belocked together in any one of an infinite number of axially adjustedpositions with respect to each other and that, when locked together,they may be released from looking engagement with respect to each otherand the two separate parts of the binder be simultaneously separatedsimply by applying a pull to the ring 80.

Having thus described my invention what I claim by Letters Patent is:

1. In a telescoping binder, in combination, a-

- locking member having a longitudinally extending slot formed therein,and means for releasing said locking member including a flat barslidably but non-rotatably received in said slot, said bar having alateral projection disposed below said locking member and extending in adirection away from the pivotal axis 01' said locking member, saidlateral projection including an upper edge portion engageable with saidlocking member to release the same from looking position upon upwardmovement of said bar.

2. In a telescoping binder, in combination, a pair of hollow posts, onetelescopically received within the other, the inner of said posts havingan opening formed in the side wall thereof, an elongated locking memberwithin said inner post pivoted thereto at one end for movement about anaxis extending transversely of said postand on the side 01' said postopposite said opening, the opposite end of said locking member extendingthrough said opening and being adapted to engage the inner surface ofthe outer post when in look ing position, yieldable means normallyurging said locking member toward locking position, said locking memberhaving a longitudinally extending slot formed therein, and means forreleasing said locking member including aflat bar slidably butnon-rotatably received in said slot, said bar having a lateralprojection disposed below said looking member and extending in adirection away irom the pivotal axis of said locking member, saidlateral projection having an upper edge defined by a surface whichdiverges downwardly and axis extending transversely of said post on theside opposite said opening, said locking member projecting through saidopening and into engagement with the inner surface of the outer or saidposts, spring means constantly urging said locking member towardsengagement with the inner surface of the outer of said posts, and meansfor releasing said locking member from said engagement comprising a barmember extending through said locking member in slidable butnon-rotatable relation therewith and having one end thereof,

projecting beyond the upper end of said inner post, the opposite end ofsaid bar member having a head extending in a direction away from thepivotal axis of said locking member and being engageable with the underside of said locking member to release the same from locking positionupon upward movement of said bar member.

4. In a telescoping binder, in combination, a pair of hollow posts onetelescopically received within the other, the inner of said posts havingan opening therein, a locking member within said inner post pivotedthereto at one end for movement about an axis extending transversely ofsaid post on the side opposite said opening, said locking member beinggreater in length than the inner diameter of said outer post and havingits opposite end beveled and projecting through said opening and intoengagement with the inner surface or the outer of said posts, springmeans eonstantly urging said locking member towards engagement with theinner surface of the outer of said posts, and means for releasing saidlocking member from said engagement comprising a bar member projectingthrough said locking member in slidable but non-rotatable relationtherewith and having a head disposed below said locking member andextending in a direction away from the pivotal axis of said lockingmember and being engageable with the underside of said locking member torelease the same from locking position upon upward movement of said barmember.

5. In a telescoping binder, in combination, a pair of hollow posts onetelescopically received within the other, the inner of said posts havingan opening therein, a locking member within said inner post pivotedthereto for movement about an axis extending transversely of said poston the side opposite said opening, said locking member projectingthrough said opening and into engagement with the inner surface of theouter of said posts, a plurality of projections in the bore of saidinner post lying substantially in a common plane perpendicular to theaxis of said ost and in spaced relation axially of said post from saidlocking member, a coil spring within said inner post maintained undercompression between said projections and said locking member andconstantly' urging said locking member towards eninwardly with respectto the adjacent surface of said locking member, said edge beingengageable with said locking member to release the same from lockingposition upon upward movement or said bar.

3. In a telescoping binder, in combination, a pair of hollow posts onetelescopically received within the other, the inner of said posts havingan opening therein, a locking member within said inner post pivotedthereto for movement about an member to release the same from loclclngposition upon upward movement of said bar member. V STANLEY G. JOHNSON.

